Documented sales are the records of sales transactions made by a business or its representative. These records are useful for different purposes. Before hiring a sales representative to market your product, check to see if he has documentary evidence to back up his claims of former sales. This is particularly important in highly competitive industries such as pharmaceutical sales.

Resume Writing

If you are looking for a job in sales, your resume should show your sales background and experience. You should also list achievements such as consistent sales results, percentages you have achieved, sales targets that you have met and the value of the income you generated for your former employers. If possible, provide documentation such as copies of sales reports and spreadsheets that list the sales you made.

Raising Start-Up Capital

Small businesses often start up using the founder's personal credit -- credit cards, a home equity line of credit or a personal loan. Once your business can show documented sales and cash flow, however, it is possible to get capital from a bank to expand.

Selling your Business

If you are in the process of selling your business, potential buyers will want to see your books. Unless the buyer is an accountant, he might not be able to gauge the value of the business from your finances, and he most likely will ask to see documented sales and supporting evidence. Track your sales by recording everything, and ensure that the records match your declared income in the financial statements.

Auditing

When you prepare for your financial audit, the auditors could request evidence of your documented sales. They will then compare this information with the declared income from sales shown in your financial records. You will also have to document any tax-free sales for the IRS.

Documentary Proof

The prospective buyer or employer must be able to verify the legitimacy of the sales reports, so use documents that are on letterheads or contain the company's stamp and get them notarized as true copies. Alternatively, provide telephonic references or letters from a credible source stating that the documents are genuine.